The Basketball Tournament (TBT) today announced its nine host sites for this summer’s $2 million, single-elimination, winner-take-all event that kicks off on July 23. Eight Regional Champions will move on to Championship Week in Dayton, Ohio August 6-11. All 63 TBT games and the Puma Hoops Dunk Contest will be shown live.
Among the eight regional locations, TBT will be returning to Wichita, Columbus, and Syracuse, after entertaining record crowds in all three cities. Wichita’s Koch Arena set a single-game attendance record at 7,184, while Columbus and Syracuse played in front of sold out crowds. Las Vegas and Washington, D.C. are among the new hosting regionals starting July 24 and July 31 respectively.
“It’s been an amazing 48 hours for TBT,” said founder and CEO Jon Mugar. “The outpouring of support for the Elam Ending in the aftermath of the NBA All-Star Game has been astounding. Our fans know it well, but it’s special to see an audience of eight million people experience it. We can’t wait to bring it to our eight regional sites this July and then conclude in Dayton, where someone will hit a two-million-dollar shot on August 11.”
Regional Host Sites
- The Ohio State University (Covelli Center) – July 23-26
- West Virginia (Charleston Coliseum and Convention Center) – July 24-26
- Las Vegas (Cox Pavilion) – July 24-26
- Jackson, Tennessee (Oman Arena) – July 24-26
- Wichita State University (Koch Arena) – July 30-Aug. 2
- Syracuse (SRC Arena) – July 31-Aug. 2
- Washington, D.C. (Entertainment and Sports Arena) – July 31-Aug. 2
- Florida (Polk State) – July 31-Aug. 2
Championship Week at University of Dayton Arena
- Quarterfinals – Thursday, Aug. 6, 7p EDT & 9p EDT
- Quarterfinals Day 2 – Friday, Aug. 7, 7p EDT & 9p EDT
- Semifinals – Saturday Aug. 8, 12p EDT & 2p EDT
- $2 Million, Winner-Take-All Championship – Tuesday, Aug. 11, 9p EDT
*Game times subject to change
Entry into TBT is free and open to the public. The application period will run from March 15-June 15. The 64-team field and TBT bracket will be released June 22. Games will air live beginning Thursday, July 23.
In addition to featuring the highest stakes format in the world, TBT has become known as a trendsetter in basketball circles. TBT received widespread praise for the NBA’s adoption of the Elam Ending in the 2020 All-Star Game, with many calling it one of the best All-Star games ever. Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James said, “Throughout the fourth quarter and at the end of the game, everyone was like, ‘That was pretty damn fun.’” Milwaukee Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo added, “The format is amazing. It makes you want to play hard.” In addition, TBT’s post game bracket celebration has grown into a mainstay of the NCAA Tournament each year.
The high stakes tournament consistently attracts the top basketball players in the world. Thirty-five players have gone on from TBT to sign contracts with NBA teams. Last summer, 59 former NBA players took part in TBT, and 23 teams were composed of alumni from major Division I programs such as Kansas, West Virginia, Dayton and more. Carmen’s Crew (Ohio State Alumni) dethroned four-time champion Overseas Elite and went on to beat Golden Eagles Alumni (Marquette Alumni) in a thrilling championship game played in front of a record audience.
To purchase tickets or for more information on TBT, visit thetournament.com.
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